Bears notebook: Hester's catch highlights day

Saturday

May 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMMay 31, 2008 at 7:58 PM

Quarterback Kyle Orton threw the football as far as he could. Devin Hester was the intended target down the left sideline, but the pass appeared considerably overthrown. "I didn't think he'd go get it," receivers coach Darryl Drake said. "He's not going to get that." But he did.

Reed Schreck

Quarterback Kyle Orton threw the football as far as he could.

Devin Hester was the intended target down the left sideline, but the pass appeared considerably overthrown.

"That's what he has -- he's got an exceptional gear, and the ability to adjust and go get it," Drake said. "That does a lot for the quarterback, it does a lot for him, it does a lot for us to know what we've got here.

"He's got a chance to stretch the field and go get the ball like (Bernard) Berrian did when he was here. Maybe he even has a different gear, and it's very pleasing to see that."

As for catching up to the bomb, Hester said "that's what me and the quarterbacks talk about. Whenever we get a deep ball, I tell them to just throw it as far as you can, hoping I'll be able to run it down. It's what we work on every day."

Hester then was asked when the last time someone threw a pass he didn't catch up to. He pondered it, finally offering, "I don't know."

"I've always had it," he said of an extra gear.

Catches like Saturday's can only enhance his chances to get a grip on a reworked contract as he heads into his third season. Defensive end Tommie Harris and linebacker Brian Urlacher also want something done with their situations, but all are at camp.

That allowed second-year man Corey Graham to work with the first unit for a day.

"We're trying to look at all our players," Smith said. "Corey's done a good job, as has (corner) Trumaine McBride."

Smith said he didn't know if Tillman would be on hand today.

"He's excused as long as he needs," Smith said.

Heat? What heat?

Saturday was the first time for the players to practice in temperatures near 80 this offseason. That didn't stop 19 of them from wearing long sleeves under their jerseys, including Rex Grossman, Tommie Harris, Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Garrett Wolfe, Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker.

Fourth-year wideout Rashied Davis dropped the first pass of the day during 11-on-11 drills from Rex Grossman. He then got down to do pushups as punishment.

Getting a kick

Veteran place-kicker Robbie Gould and undrafted rookie free agent Shane Longest (Saint Xavier) alternated field goals from 48 yards out into a breeze during special teams drills Saturday. Gould shanked one wide left. Longest then hit the crossbar. Gould shanked the next one even further left. Longest then split the uprights.

Reed Schreck is the NFL writer for the Rockford Register Star. Reach him at 815-987-1381 or rschreck@rrstar.com.